Electrolytic cell



E. A. LE SUEUR. ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23. 1920.

1,431,014. Patented Oct. 3, 19 22.

Patented Get. a, 1922.

i i i 1*...

ERNEST. A. LE SUEUB, 0F OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

Application filed October 23, 1920. Serial No. 419,076.

To all whom it may concern V Be it known that I, ERNEST A. La SUEUR, asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Ottawa, in the countyof Carleton and Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Cells, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention presents improvements more particularly in connection withcells employing carbon anodes of large surface, and certain of itsfeatures are similar to those set forth in my application, Serial Number234,296, electrolytic cells, filed May 13th, 1918.

My said invention will be understood by reference to the drawings heretoattached.

In the said drawings, Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a cell according tomy invention, the end of the containing tank being in section, samebeing taken on the line AB of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan of said cell.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the assembled electrodes contained in saidcell. Fig. 4 is a detail showing a sub-division of the cathode surface.Fig. 5 is a detail of an insulated bolt.

With further reference to the drawings 1 is the containing tank ofsuitable material (in the case illustrated of metal, as iron) 2 is theelectrolyte; 3 is a leading-in member for the anode, shown in thepresent case of carbon; 4, 4 are composite carbon anodic plates; 5, 5are metallic cathode plates acting also as supports for the compositeanode; 6, 6 are insulating spacing pieces; 7 1s a bolt, conveniently ofsteel; 8 and 9 are respectively anodic and cathodic wires.

11, 11 are strips of soft conducting material, preferably metallic, aslead, and preferably bonded as shown to the bottom of the tank 1 by thesoldered portions 111, 111; 31 is a current supply clamp overlapping thetop of the piece 3; 32 is the tightening bolt for said clamp and alsoacts as binding post for the terminal wire 8; 33 is cement applied tothe pieces 3 and 31 so as to make a watertight container on top of saidpiece 3; 34 is an overflow pipe for water supplied to sald container.41, 41 are anodic blocks, conveniently of carbon, acting as conductingspacing pieces between the anodlc plates 4. 51, 51 are pieces similar tothat shown in Fig. 4, constituting subdivisions of the total cathodesurface. 61, 61, Fig. 2, are insulating rods or strips adapted toprevent con tact between the plates 4 and 51;,these are omitted fromFig. l in order to avoid compllcation. 71 is a nut on the bolt 7 72, 72are conducting washers on the bolt 7; 73. Fig. 5, is an insulatingsleeve on the bolt 7.

s will be obvious, the tank 1, in the an rangement illustrated,constitutes a portion of the total cathode Surface, and the maincathodic current is supplied to it and travels through the strips 11,through the spiked toes of the cathode plates 5 and 51, into theselatter plates. The said strips 11 may be omitted and the cathode platesmay bear directly on the bottom of the tank 1 but I have found thatgreat advantages in the way of convenience and good contact are securedby the use of. said spiked toes, em bedded, even if but slightly, in thesoft metal of the said strips when employing heavy commercial currents.If desired the whole bottom of the tank, or the whole tank, may be ofsoft metal, and, on the other hand, the metal with which the cathodeplates make contact may be independent of the containing tank andirrespective of the metallic or non-metallic nature thereof so long assaid metal is supplied with cathodic current. The number of contactpoints on the cathode plates is not fundamentally material, and, forpurposes of current supply, said points may even be omitted, although Igreatly prefer to use them.

In large single electrolyzers the supply of current to carbon anodeswithout causing undue heating, especially if there is only a singlecurrent leading-in member, frequently becomes diflicult, and theapparatus shown simplifies the matter by enabling water to be supplied(from any convenient source, not shown) to the container on top of thecurrent leading-in member, whereby cooling effect is supplied to saidmember and the current supply clamp.

The slot in the cathode piece 51 enables said piece to be dropped intoplace between the pieces 4 without touching the conducting pieces 41.

The leading-in member is shown as a cylinder flattened on opposite sidesover part of its length, but any suitable shape may be used.

The weight of the composite anode may obviously be borne otherwise thanby the end cathode plates 5, but the simplicity and convenience of theassembly in the form shown, not the least of the merits of which is theresultant mechanical stability of the entire electrode system, will beobvious. I find advantages in the use of but one current leading-inmember but I do not wish to limit myself to such use. I have shownsupporting cathode members at both ends of the electrode setbut I do notWish to limit myself to such plurality.

I claim p 1. In an electrolytic cell having a bot tom in Whole or inpart cathodic a cathode member having one or more projections adapted tomake contact with and receive current from said bottom.

2. In an electrolytic cell a soft conducting member adapted to conductcurrent to a cathode'member and a cathode member in contact with andsubstantially impressing said soft conducting member.

3. In an electrolytic cell an anode current leading-in member and one ormore cathode members supporting said anode member re ceiving currentfrom one or more cathodic surfaces submerged in the electrolyte.

l. An electrolytic cell having a current leading-in anode member, aplurality pf rent from one or more cathodic surfaces sub merged in theelectrolyte.

5. In an electrolytic cell an interspace between anode members partiallyoccupied by an anodi'c distance'block spanning the distance between saidmembers, and a cathode member also located in said interspace, a spacebeing left from its lower edge up- Wardly such as will enable it to beset into place Without touching said block.

(3. An electrolytic cell having a carbon current leading-in member and aWater bath at the upper portion of said member.

7. An electrolytic cell having a carbon current leading-in member and anopen Water bath at the upper portion or' said member.

8. A11 electrolytic cell having a carbon current leading-in member andan open Water bath at the upper portion of said member adaptedrespectively to receive and dis charge a stream of Water.

ERNEST A. LE SU EUR.

